Fern Gericke Kephart 1924-2002

THOEN, BURAAS, GERICKE, KEPHART, MARTIN, OHLOFF, HEINS, BLUME

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 12/20/2009 at 13:13:25

Funeral services for Fern Gericke Kephart were held Saturday, April 6, 2002, at 2:30 p.m. in St. Paul Lutheran Church at Postville, Iowa. The Reverend James Allison officiated, assisted by the Reverend Eugene Shipper of Wayne Zion Lutheran Church in Monticello, Iowa. Special music was provided by Kenneth Timmerman, accompanied by Ramona Everman, organist. The Schutte Funeral and Cremation Service of Postville was in charge of arrangements.

Burial was in the Postville Cemetery. Visitation was held in Monticello on Thursday and also in Postville on Friday. Casketbearers were Steve Rogers, Lyle Schulte, Mike Haire, Dan, Marlyn, Glen and Steve Ohloff. Honorary Casketbearers were Virgil and Lorraine Haag, Ralph and Margaret Kephart, John and Lorna Kittleson, Don and Wilma Kugel, Dr. Robert and Bernice Schneider, LaVern and Sally Stumme, Kenneth and Mary Timmerman and Virginia Lammert.

Fern Rachel (Buraas) Gericke Kephart, the daughter of Alfred Merwin and Norma Alice (Thoen) Buraas, was born April 5, 1924 at Postville, Iowa. She passed away Tuesday, April 2, 2002 in Postville at the home of her daughter, Laurel Ohloff. She had reached the age of 77 years, 11 months, and 25 days.

She was baptized April 20, 1924, in the East Clermont Lutheran Church by the Reverend Gustav Gunsten, and confirmed there on April 30, 1939 by the Reverend Elling E. Ramsey. Fern was graduated from the Clermont High School in 1941 with the honor of Valedictorian. She attended the University of Iowa for one year in the mid-1940s. Fern also graduated from the American Institute of Business in Des Moines in 1941 and graduated magna cum laude from Luther College at Decorah in 1967, with a double major in Business Administration and Biology. She also worked for the Red Cross during World War II.

Fern was married to LaMont Gericke on Oct. 3, 1948 at the East Clermont Lutheran Church by the Reverend A. O Nesset. To this union two daughters were born, Lynda and Laurel. They made their home in Postville. Following the death of her husband, LaMont, the family moved to Decorah in 1965.

On Oct 27, 1979 Fern was married to Floyd Kephart in the Wayne Zion Lutheran Church at Monticello, Iowa.

Fern had been employed as a bookkeeper at Community Memorial Hospital in Postville. She was the Business Manager of the Medical Associates Clinic in Decorah. She had also been employed as a Biology Lab Instructor at Luther College. Fern continued her education and became a Medical Technologist.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her step-mother Delphina Buraas; her husband, LaMont Gericke, who died in 1963; her second husband, Floyd Kephart who died in 2000 and a daughter, Lynda Martin, who died in 1995.

Surviving is her daughter, Laurel (Dean) Ohloff of Postville, three grandchildren, Aaron and Seth Ohloff, who are attending Iowa State University at Ames, and Arica Ohloff, who is a Junior at Postville High School, and a stepson, Kenneth Kephart of Teaneck, New Jersey. Also surviving are two sisters, DeElta (Don) Heins, of Luana, and Shirley Blume of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Fern was a member of the Wayne Zion Lutheran Church at Monticello. She had been a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologist. Fern loved her family and a passion for golf as well. She also had a high regard for education.

Postville Herald-Leader newspaper clipping from my mother's obituary collection.
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